Saharan Frontiers: Space and Mobility in Northwest Africa
James McDougall · Judith Scheele
Jun 2012 · Indiana University Press
Ebook
294
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
“Makes a compelling case for the importance of Saharan history, both in its own right and in its articulations with the histories of other regions.” —American Ethnologist
The Sahara has long been portrayed as a barrier that divides the Mediterranean world from Africa proper and isolates the countries of the Maghrib from their southern and eastern neighbors. Rather than viewing the desert as an isolating barrier, this volume takes up historian Fernand Braudel’s description of the Sahara as “the second face of the Mediterranean.” The essays recast the history of the region with the Sahara at its center, uncovering a story of densely interdependent networks that span the desert’s vast expanse. They explore the relationship between the desert’s “islands” and “shores” and the connections and commonalities that unite the region. Contributors draw on extensive ethnographic and historical research to address topics such as trade and migration; local notions of place, territoriality, and movement; Saharan cities; and the links among ecological, regional, and world-historical approaches to understanding the Sahara.
Contributions by Dida Badi, Julien Brachet, Armelle Chopin, Charles Grémont, Peregrine Horden, Olivier Leservoisier, Laurence Marfaing, E. Ann McDougall, Abderrahmane Moussaoui, Mohamed Oudada, Fatma Oussedik, and Katia Schörle
“A compilation of coherent, well-structured case studies addressing highly significant issues for the contemporary Sahara . . . a groundbreaking study.” —Social Anthropology
“Altogether, this book is highly recommendable. Its key contribution is in teaching us to conceive of the Sahara not as a region clearly defined by natural features, but as a space that exists, extends, and expands according to its vibrant human interconnectedness.” —Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
The Sahara has long been portrayed as a barrier that divides the Mediterranean world from Africa proper and isolates the countries of the Maghrib from their southern and eastern neighbors. Rather than viewing the desert as an isolating barrier, this volume takes up historian Fernand Braudel’s description of the Sahara as “the second face of the Mediterranean.” The essays recast the history of the region with the Sahara at its center, uncovering a story of densely interdependent networks that span the desert’s vast expanse. They explore the relationship between the desert’s “islands” and “shores” and the connections and commonalities that unite the region. Contributors draw on extensive ethnographic and historical research to address topics such as trade and migration; local notions of place, territoriality, and movement; Saharan cities; and the links among ecological, regional, and world-historical approaches to understanding the Sahara.
Contributions by Dida Badi, Julien Brachet, Armelle Chopin, Charles Grémont, Peregrine Horden, Olivier Leservoisier, Laurence Marfaing, E. Ann McDougall, Abderrahmane Moussaoui, Mohamed Oudada, Fatma Oussedik, and Katia Schörle
“A compilation of coherent, well-structured case studies addressing highly significant issues for the contemporary Sahara . . . a groundbreaking study.” —Social Anthropology
“Altogether, this book is highly recommendable. Its key contribution is in teaching us to conceive of the Sahara not as a region clearly defined by natural features, but as a space that exists, extends, and expands according to its vibrant human interconnectedness.” —Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
About the author
James McDougall is Fellow and Tutor in modern history and University Lecturer in twentieth century history at Trinity College, Oxford. He is editor of Nation, Society and Culture in North Africa and author of History and the Culture of Nationalism in Algeria.
Judith Scheele, a social anthropologist, is a Research Fellow at All Souls' College, Oxford. She is author of Village Matters: Knowledge, Politics and Community in Kabylia.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
